Today in History: Billie Jean King triumphs in Battle of Sexes

18 year old American Billie Jean Moffitt returns a low ball against No.1 seed Australian Margaret Smith during their match on Centre Court at Wimbledon. The tournament was shocked as Moffitt beat the odds on favourite 1-6, 6-3, 7-5. (Photo via PA)

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Forty-two years ago today, Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in Houston, Texas. In what was nationally marketed as The Battle of the Sexes, Riggs boasted that he could take on the best of all female tennis players, and encouraged King to accept a lucrative offer to take him on in a best-of-three-set match.

She accepted, with the winner taking home $100,000. Attendance at the Houston Astrodome reached more than 30,000 -- still the largest-ever tennis attendance. Roughly 90 million viewers tuned in to watch the match on television. After three sets, the match was won. King hammered home her sixth game won, to Riggs' three, and she came away victorious.

Click through the gallery above for photos of King's career, and be sure to watch the video below from this month, when she joined AOL BUILD for a very special event.